None on earth. I love Elizabeth and look forward to our union with delight. Let the day therefore be fixed; and on it I will consecrate myself, in life or death, to the happiness of my cousin.
Chapter 22 · Victor Frankenstein
Context
Victor responds to his father's question about whether he has another romantic attachment, declaring his love for Elizabeth and his willingness to proceed with the marriage.
Analysis
The phrase "in life or death" treats the two outcomes as equally possible, flattening what should be a joyful commitment into a grim either/or. Victor speaks as if he is preparing for battle rather than marriage, and the word "consecrate"—with its religious, sacrificial overtones—frames the wedding as a ritual offering rather than a union. This language reveals that Victor sees the marriage primarily in terms of his own impending confrontation with the Creature, not as a relationship with Elizabeth.
Essay Tip
Use this to argue that Victor's language exposes how thoroughly he has subordinated Elizabeth's reality to his own narrative—he speaks of their wedding day as the stage for his fate ('in life or death') rather than the beginning of their shared life, reducing her to a supporting character in his tragic drama.